Pumpkin, Orange & Cranberry Spelt Muffins

With all this baking, friends often ask me how I don’t get fat. Breast feeding has certainly helped, but the most common answer is, “I give it all away”. Hubby was searching for baked goodies to pack in his work lunch the other day, and I had to tell him that there were none. In the previous week, I’d made banana muffins – and given them away. Then there was banana bread – that I’d taken to mums group. I’ve been making lots of icy poles, too, but you can’t exactly pack them in your lunch box.

It’s inspired by a cake I’ve made over the years, that often elicits a bemused response. ‘Pumpkin and Prune Cake’ is a good, old-fashioned fruit cake and has just the consistency I prefer in a cake – quite damp without being heavy. But big cakes need big crowds to be enjoyed properly, so I’ve moved onto muffins. Big cakes also often require a mixer, and we all know how much I love using a mixer (not so much)! So, this is my adapted version of an old favourite, now a one-bowl affair and dairy-free.

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line 16 regular (½-cup) muffins tins with muffin papers. Quarter the orange, remove pithy core and any seeds and process in a blender for 1 minute. If still chunky, scrape down sides and blitz until smooth. Remove any large chunks and set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and mixed spice into a large bowl, and then add cranberries/other add-ins. In a separate bowl, beat the oil, sugar and honey together with a whisk. Add eggs, and beat well. Mix in the pumpkin purée and pureed orange, followed by the vanilla extract.

Fold the wet mixture into the flour mixture with a large spoon, stirring just until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of pepitas, followed by a sprinkle of mixed spice.

Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool in tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.